Tape-dispensing mechanism



May 29, 1951 o. P. ERHARDT 2,5551'187 TAPE-DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 21, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 29, 1951 UITED S ATES ATENT QFFICE TAPE-DISPENSKNG MECHANISM Application August 21, 1948, Serial No. 45,527

(Cl. Mili-84.5)

12 Claims. l

This invention relates to tape-serving machines and more particularly to a machine for dispensing so-called scotch tape which is tacky or clingable upon one surface. As illustrated, the device is provided with means for supporting a roll of tape, from which roll the tape is drawn by the operator who grasps the protruding end with his fingers and draws it from the roll by a direct pull. A severing member is provided adjacent the forward en/d of the machine so that the operator may draw the tape upwardly against this blade to tear off the desired length of strip.

It is desirable in such devices that the end of the strip of tape remaining on the roll project a short distance from the machine so that it may readily be grasped by the operator. When the operator extends his fingers toward this free end of the tape to grasp it, the severing member, which is often provided IWith a serrated end, presents something of a hazard in that the fingers may come in contact with the severing member and be injured. This hazard is eliminated in the present device, in that the knife or severing member is retractable behind or below a guard member so that when the device is in its normal or rest position the knife does not protrude. It is, however, caused to protrude by a pull rearwardly on the tape in the direction of the knife which is in a direction in which the tape is normally pulled to be severed. Moving the tape in this direction during the withdrawal of a piece from the roll or after a sufficient length has been drawn from the roll, serves to cause the knife to advance forwardly of the guard so that it will be accessible and the severing edge may be i engaged by the tape to sever the latter.

Also, a stripper is provided to strip the tape from the knife and not only prevent its adhering thereto, but the stripper also moves the tape downwardly against a tape supporting surface against which the tape is supported so that the free end of the tape will cling to this surface Vand, thus, remain in a position to be engaged by the fingers of the operator. When the tape is raised toward the severing member, the stripper is also raised and it is this movement of the stripper that causes the severing member to be protracted forwardly of the guard.

One object of the present invention is to provide a machine for dispensing scotch tape which will be of simple construction and eiiicient in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tape-dispensing machine having a severing member mounted for retracting and protracting 2 movements so that it may be retracted behind a guard member when not in use and protracted forwardly of the guard member when the tape is to be severed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tape-dispensing machine having a severing member against which the tape is drawn by the operater and a guard for this severing member, and means for mounting the severing member so that it may be retracted to a position in which the edge will be protected by the guard from comng into contact with the fingers of the operator.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a tapedispensing machine embodying my invention, the wall of the case being removed to show the interior mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof with some parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the severing member in a protracted position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a somewhat modified form of my invention; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown a tape-dispensing mechanism having a frame comprising a base IU and an upright side wall Il, which wall is provided With a forward flange [2 and an upper and rear flange 13. The Operating mechanism of the device is supported by this wall Il, as will now be described.

Secured to the member Il is a pin [4 upon which the supply roll |5 of tape is suspended.

When a strip of tape is drawn from the roll, the

forward edge of the supply roll is designed to contact guide rolls i and Il rotatably mounted upon the member H at the forward end thereof and, as will be apparent, the free end l of the tape as it comes from the supply roll passes between the rolls IB and Il.

It will be noted that the upper end of the flange IZ is provided with a surface 20 below the tape so that the lower or tacky side of the tape will engage and cling to this surface in the operation of the device and the free end l will project 'forwardly of the fiange l2 in order that it may be readily grasped by the fingers of the operator. A stripper member is provided to engage the upper side of the tape and press it downwardly upon acsawf 3 the surface 23, and this stripper is provided with a portion Z substantially parallel to the surface of the tape and a downwardly turned portion 22 designed to urge the tape downwardly so as to prevent the upward bowing or arcing of the tape toward its non-tacky side.

The stripper is provided at the forward end of a plate member 23 pivoted at 24 to the frame plate ll, the member 23 being provided with an elongated arcuate slot 25 which receives the shaft of the roller il so that the plate 23 may pivot about the pin 24 and, thus, permit the stripper to move from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 3 and allow the tape to come in contact with the severing member, this movement being limited by the length of the slot. The plate 23 is provided with an off-set portion 21 which is spaced outwardly slightly from the frame member H.

A severing member 30 is provided at the upper end of the frame, this severing member being seoured to a horizontal frame 3l formed integrally on a plate member 32 'which is pivoted at 33 on the shaft of the roll lt. This member is provided with a slot 34 which receives the pin Ul so that it may enjoy a limited movement about its pivot 33. It is understood that it will normally stand in the position shown in Fig. 1 under the infiuence of gravity, but will be moved from this position and swung in a counterclockwise direction as permitted by the slot 34.

The plate 32 is provided with a lug 38 which extends behind the off-set portion 21 of the plate 23 and is provided adjacent its end with a pin 31 slidably received in a slot 38 in the member 21. Thus, it will be seen that the members 23 and 32 are connected together by the pin 31 and slot 38.

The normal position of the parts is shown in Fig. 1, and it will be seen that both of the plates 23 and 32 are in their lower positions due to the action of gravity, the shaft of the roller I'l and the pin M being at the upper encls of the slots 25 and 33 respectively. The stripper member rests upon the upper side of the tape and insures that the lower tacky surface thereof engage the upper surface 23 of the iiange #2 and causes the tape to adhere to this surface so that the free end 18 will project in a position to be readily grasped by the operator. It will also be apparent that the severing blade 30 is retracted to a position rearwardly of the forward edge of the flange 13 which serves as a guard for the blade, so that there will be no danger of the operators fingers Coming in contact With this edge when the fingers are extended to grasp the tape.

The operater may now grasp the tape and draw it forwardly from the supply roll 15. Usually the tape will be drawn in an upward direction and will cause the stripper ZI to move upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3 so that the tape will be clear of the surface 23, and the upper or nontacky side will engage the roll [6. This movement of the stripper` to this position causes the severing blade 33 to move forwardly to a protracted position shown in Fig. 3, in which the edge of the knife stands forwardly of the flange When a sufcient length of tape has been drawn from the roll, the operater draws the end of the tape rearwardly so as to draw it across the forward edge of the severing member 33. If the stripper has not already been moved upwardly to the limit permitted by the slot 25, the upward pull on the tape to engage it with the severing blade will insure the plate 23 being moved to the limit of its movement and, thus, insure that the severing blade will also be protracted to the extent permitted by the slot 34 in the plate 32.

As soon as the tape has been severed, the plates 23 and 32 drop by gravity from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the normal position shown in Fg. 1. It will be seen that the stripper member carries the end of the tape still attached to the roll against the surface 20 of the flange I2 and causes it to adhere thereto. As the edge of the severing member 33 is at some distance from the edge of the stripper member during the severing operation, as shown in Fig. 3, a free end of the tape will remain forwardly of the surface 20 so that the operater may grasp this end for a subsequent operation.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the tape, when the machine is at rest, clings to the surface 23 and it will be found desirable in drawing tape from the machine to pull in an upward direction upon the end of the tape so as to detach it from this surface. It may be, however, that it will be desirable for the user of the device to draw the tape from the machine in a horizontal direction, and the modified form of my invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which will now be described, is particularly adapted to this end.

The supply roll of tape l5 is suspended upon a pin Ul and plates 23 and 32 are provided as before, these plates being pivoted respectively at 23 and 33. The plate 23 carries a stripper member 40 which, in this instance, is of arcuate Shape in cross-section, this member having a downwardly turned end M to contact the upper surface of the tape and prevent it from bowing upwardly or away from the tacky side. The plate 32 carries the knife or severing member 30 and it will be understood that the movements of the severing member 33 and the stripper 40 are the same as described in connection with the modification shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

The supply roll 15 is suspended freely on the pin M and its forward edge is in contact with the guide rolls 13 and H. All the parts are provided upon a frame member H, as prevously'described, and at the forward edge of this member is the flange 12. The severing member 30 is guarded by the flange l3 at the upper edge of the Side wall H, and it will be understood that when the tape is pulled upwardly the stripper member is moved upwardly, and, owing to the pin and slot connection between the plates 23 and 32, the severing member 33 will be moved downwardly from behind the forward edge of the fiange l3 so that it may be engaged by the tape and the latter severed against it.

At the upper edge of the fiange l2 is rotatably mounted a knurled roller 43, this roller being provided with pins 44 at each edge, which pins are rotatably mounted in eyes 45 formed in the fiange 13.

As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the tape is normally pressed down upon the roller 33 'by the stripping member 30 which is urged to its normal or lowermost position by gravity and, therefore, a free end of the tape will project from the machine to be grasped by the operator. However, due to the fact that the member 43 (which serves the purpose of the surface 23 in the form of my invention described in my invention, Figs. 1 to 3) is a rotatabhl mounted member and is knurled so as to present a broken surface to which the tape may cling, the tape may be drawn horizontally from the machine in contact With this roller with very little efortand will be stripped from the knurled roller as it is drawn Vfrom the machine. It is not necessary, therefore, to draw the end upwardlyto detach it frem the roller if the operator finds it more convenient to pull the free end in a horizontal direction.

As soon as a sufiicient length has been drawn from the, machine, it is pulled upwardly toward the severing member 3. This will effect upward movement of the stripper dl and move the severing member 30 downwardly so that the severing member may be engaged by -the tape and the latter severed. Thereafter, the stripper member will return by gravity to its normal positionand press the end of the tape remaining upon the roll against the roller 43.

While I have shown and described some preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be' limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification 'and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the sc-ope of the claims,

What I claim is:

1. A tape-serving machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a roll of tape, a severing member mounted on the frame, a guard for said member also mounted on the frame, means movably mounting one of said members whereby it may move relatively to the other to expose the edge of the severing member for contact with the tape, and an element movably mounted on the frame and engaging the tape to be moved thereby when the latter is drawn to- Ward the severing member, said element being engaged with said movably mounted member to effect movement thereof. f

2. A tape-serving machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a roll of tape, a severing member mounted on the frame, a guard member for said severing member also mounted on the frame, means movably mounting one of said members whereby it may move relatively to the other to expose the edge of the severing member for contact with the tape, and an element movably mounted on the frame and engaged* with said movable member and aotuated by a pull on the tape toward the severing member for moving said movable member.

3. A tape-serving machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a roll of tape, a severing member mounted on the frame, a guard for said member also mounted on the frame, means movably mounting one of said members whereby it may move relatively to the other to expose the edge of the severing member for contact With the tape, a stripper member movably mounted on the frame to strip the tape from said severing member, and interconnecting means between said stripper member and said movable member for moving the latter when said stripper member is moved by contact with the tape.

4. A tape-serving machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a roll of tape, a severing member movably mounted on the frame and normally Standing in spaced relation to the tape, a stationary guardnormally shielding the edge of said severing member, and means engaging the tape as it is moved toward the severing member and engaged with the severing member to move said severing member away from said guard and expose the severing member for contaot with the tape.

5. A tape-serving machine comprisng a frame, means thereon for supporting a roll of tape, a

6 severing member movably mounted on the frame, a guard normally shielding the edge of said severing member, and an element movably mounted on the frame and engaging the side of the tape adjacent the severing member to be moved thereby, said element being engaged With the severing member to move the severing member away from said guard whenthe tape is moved toward the severing member.

`6. A tape-serving machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a roll of tape, a severing member movably mounted on the frame, a guard normally shielding the edge of said severing member, a stripper member pivotally mounted on the frame and adapted to engage one surface of the tape to be moved thereby about its pivot when the tape is moved toward the severing member, and interconnecting means between said stripper member and said severing member whereby the latter is moved when said stripper member is moved. V

7. A tape-serving machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a roll of tape, a severing member movably mounted on the frame, a guard normally shelding the edge of said severing member, a stripper member pivotally mounted on the frame and adapted to engage one surface of the tape to be moved thereby about its pivot when the tape is moved toward the severing member, and interconnecting means between said stripper member and said severing member whereby the latter is moved when said stripper member is moved, and said stripper member and said severing member being returned to their normal positions by gravity after the tape has been severed.

8. A tape-serving machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a roll of tape, a severing member normally Standing in a position out of engagement with the tape, a stationary guard normally shielding the edge of said member, means pivotally mountng the severing member upon the frame for movement relatively to the guard, and means for moving said severing member to a protracted position with respect to said guard to expose the edge of the severing member for engagement by the tape, said means engaging the tape to be actuated thereby.

9. A tape-serving machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a roll of tape, a severing member, a guard normally shielding the edge of said member, means pivotally mounting the severing member upon the frame for movement relatively to the guard, and means for moving said severing member to a protracted position with respect to said guard to expose the edge of the severing member for engagement by the tape, said means comprising a member disposed between the tape and the severing member and engaged by the tape when moved toward the severing member.

10. A tape-serving machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a roll of tape, a severing member, a guard normally shielding the edge of said member, means pivotally mounting the severing member upon the frame for movement relatively to the guard, and means for moving said severing member to a protracted position with respect to said guard to expose the edge of the severing member for engagement by the tape, said means comprising a stripper member adapted to strip the tape from the severing member.

11. A tape-serving machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a roll of tape,` a severing member, a'guard normally shielding. the edge of said member, means pivotally mounting the severing member upon the frame for movement relativelyl to the guard, and means forfmoving said severing member to a protracted position with respect to said guard to expose the edge of the severng member for eng'agement by the tape, said means comprising a stripper member adapted to strip the tape from the severing member, said stripper member being pvoted on the frame and connected to said severing member to move the latter when said stripper member is moved. f

12. A machine for dispensing pressure-Sensitive tape comprising a frame means thereon for supporting a roll of tape, severing means mounted above the path of the tape against which the latter may 'be drawn to be severed, a roller rotatably mounted on the frame below the path of the tape and adjacent the front portion of the machine to which roller the tacky side of the tape is adapted to cling, the severing means being spaced from said roller in the direction transa.. verse to the tape path to require thetape tebe disengaged from the roller whendrawn against the severing member, and means for moving said tape against said roller to cause it to cling thereto after a severing operation, said means comprising a stripping member adapted to strip the tape from the severing member, and said stripping member being pivoted on the frame and resting against the surface of the tape.

OSCAR P. ERHARDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,159,837 Handy Nov. 9,` 1915 2,272,628 Anderson Feb. 10, 1942 2,324,349 Atkins July 13, 1943 2,352,445 Pinckney June 27, 1944 2,447145 Van Cleef et al. Aug. 17, 1948 

